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Fleming was the first, but a number of other ambitious Louisiana Republicans are considering whether they want to move up to Washington through Vitter's loss. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

If Republican Sen. David Vitter — whose loss to a Democrat in the Louisiana governor's race last month prompted his announcement that he would not run for re-election — was the first domino to fall, on Monday, he finally knocked over the second one.

Rep. John Fleming, R-La., officially announced his candidacy for Vitter's now-open seat with a Web video in which he portrayed himself as a "passionate conservative" who has fought the leadership of his own party. And Fleming could soon be joined in his party's primary by Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., whose spokesman Jack Pandol said he "is planning a formal announcement event in Louisiana" in the coming weeks. With the two of them looking for a promotion — a move that would require them to free up their seats for the first time in about a decade — more dominoes could fall even further down the ballot as a number of other ambitious Republicans consider whether they want to move up to Washington, D.C.